It's All About Perspective

I've been talking to a lot of people in the past week about their goals and resolutions for 2022 and found an interesting pattern.  It seems a lot of people are focusing on removing, editing and taking away in an effort to meet certain goals. I'm not knocking this strategy, but found it is in stark contrast to what my focus is this year. Contributing. Adding more, doing more, being more. In an effort to maintain a positive mindset and not dwell on stuff, I made that conscious decision not to take away but to add. Here are a few examples of the differences in perspectives between how I'm approaching my goals and what I am hearing from others:

• Friend: I'm not drinking this month (dry January) and cutting out all these foods (Whole 30).       Me: I'm spending more days outside in nature, drinking more water, and nourishing my body with good foods. 

• Friend: I'm watching less TV and spending less time on social media.                                            Me: I'll be reading more books and writing/journaling more often.

• Friend: I'm getting rid of "toxic" people in my life and not letting people drag me down.             Me: I'm spending quality time with my family and friends and want to be a supportive and attentive friend. 

While my friends and I may have similar goals overall, the way we're getting there may look different. I've always been a person that sees worse case scenarios and ruminates on the "bad". And, it's not good for my mental health. By changing the perspective and focusing on the steps themselves, it's less pressure on me when I "slip up". For someone with OCD and general anxiety and depression, those slip ups can send us spiraling. So, rather than pressure myself to not eat carbs or not watch so much TV, I will challenge myself to do more of the other things, like eat more vegetables and protein and spend more time outdoors.  It really has made a difference in my mental health over the past two weeks. (And, I'm down 5 pounds, too!)

So, I would challenge you to talk less about what you aren't doing and emphasize the things you are doing. You'll see just how significant a change in perspective can be in your life.